DOI

10.1111/laps.12027

Abstract

Latin America’s “left turn” expanded cash transfers and public services, contributing to lower poverty and inequality. Recently, right-leaning candidates and parties have begun to win back seats in the legislature, and in some cases have captured the executive branch. This shift has sparked debate about the future of Latin America’s welfare states. In this paper we analyze social policy reforms enacted by two recent right-leaning governments: Sebastián Piñera in Chile (2010-2014) and Mauricio Macri in Argentina (2015—). Contrary to neoliberal adjustment policies of the past, we find that neither Macri nor Piñera engaged in privatization or deep spending cuts. Instead, both administrations facilitated a process of policy drift in some sectors and marginal expansion in others. Policy legacies and the strength of the opposition help to explain these outcomes, suggesting that Latin America’s political context has been transformed by the consolidation of democracy and the experience of left-party rule.

Document Type

Post-print Article

Publication Date

2017

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2017 Wiley Online Library.

DOI: 10.1111/laps.12027

The definitive version is available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/laps.12027/full

Full Citation:

Niedzwiecki, Sara, and Jennifer Pribble. "Social Policies and Center-Right Governments in Argentina and Chile." Latin American Politics and Society 59, no. 3 (2017): 72-97. doi:10.1111/laps.12027.

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